A Beautiful Rolex Submariner From the Commander of Sealab III

[lotus425]

Another beautiful Vintage Rolex on the auction block

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...-of-sealab-iii


November 23, 2015 — 10:38 PM HKT

Military provenance is one of the easiest ways to add tons of value to a vintage Rolex. While this Submariner didn't belong to James Bond himself, it was on the wrist of the commander of the U.S. Navy's Sealab III mission, and now it's hitting the auction block.
Commander Jackson Maxwell Tomsky hailed from San Francisco and enlisted in the Navy during World War II. After the war ended, he bounced around a few diving-related Navy jobs before he ended up running the Sealab III mission in 1969. The third installment of a Navy research program placed a habitable capsule 600 feet below the ocean (note the 660ft depth rating on this Submariner) that aquanauts could live in for two-month stints.
The watch comes from the family of the original owner, which vouches for its authenticity, though it doesn't come with government documentation or paperwork. Tomsky's granddaughter's word and the "Sealab 3" engraving on the caseback are all we have to go on. The U.S. Navy did not issue Rolex watches to combat divers during this era (unlike, say, the British Ministry of Defense), and a Submariner associated with U.S. military history is rare, indeed. Even if we ignore the provenance entirely, this is an incredible Submariner. The bezel, which started as black, has faded to an almost-white shade of gray, which is called "ghosting" in vintage-Rolex parlance. This is one of the most evenly and drastically ghosted bezels I've seen. Subs at this time had gilt dials, with all-gold printing, and the Rolex logo at 12 o'clock and depth rating at 6 o'clock are the exact same color, one very similar to the creamy, custard color the luminous markers and hands have turned. There's some flaking on the black dial, but it's not inconsistent with the wear-and-tear seen across the rest of the watch. The movement inside looks almost brand-new.
It's worth noting that Sealab III encountered a few problems. During an underwater mission to repair the capsule in 1969, just two days after it launched, a diver died from of a mix of technical problems and human error, according to the Navy's assessment. Tomsky was formally reprimanded, though it didn't end his career. One has to believe that this blemish on the watch's history, by association with its former owner, will negatively affect the final auction price.
This Rolex Submariner is lot 152 in Bonhams's upcoming Dec. 8 sale in New York. It carries an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.

[wantonebad]

Novelty? Sure, hardcore collectable? Not for me, even if I had the money I would spend it elsewhere. JMHO

I would rather have a Comex or a Military sub.

[RichM]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[roadsterdoc]

It is quite gorgeous. Not sure why the author feels the Commander's reprimand would devalue the watch. Even if he was directly responsible for the mishap, it wouldn't hurt. Infamy is valuable, historically speaking. Regardless, interesting read. The family needs to find a photo of him wearing it in the Sealab!


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[05carbondrz]

What some Sellers are asking for Gilt Subs that estimate may be on the low side.